DPO Rejects N500,000 Bribe, Arrests 9 Vehicle Burglars

The divisional police officer (DPO) of Sabon-Wuse,Tafa local government area, Niger State, Lateef Abiodun, has rejected N500,000 bribe from a gang of armed men who specialise in vandalising abandoned articulated vehicles in the night.

LEADERSHIP gathered that the nine members of the gang were apprehended by police operatives attached to Tafa division who intercepted a Volkswagen Sharon vehicle with Reg. No. LKJ 739 BJ along Kaduna-Abuja Highway at Sabon-Wuse.

It was learnt that the operatives on intelligence report became suspicious of the vehicle’s body riddled with some bullet impacts with nine male occupants. 

Police sources hinted that the suspects specialise in targeting and monitoring faulty loaded trucks on Abuja-Kaduna Road, Keffi/Jos Road, Nasarawa/Akwanga Road and Minna/Suleja Road.

Consequently, when arrested, they attempted to bribe the DPO to terminate the case with N500,000, it was learnt.

Confirming the development, the police public relations officer, Niger State command, Wasiu Abiodun said, “The syndicate was discovered to have been engaging in attacking and breaking trucks/containers and looting items/property contained therein.

“During interrogation, the suspects confessed to the crime and claimed that they have a warehouse at Akwanga where they keep the loot, while they sell the items in  Kano state. They later attempted to bribe the DPO to terminate the case with an offer of N500,000.”

He said all the nine suspects were arrested and transferred to State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Minna for further investigation.